Vishante Shiancoe

[hooknladder]

I lost track of this guys movement until my good friend pointed it out to me. He's an amazing, ( but a little raw), talent who's been burried behind Shockey for a couple years, and could be poised for a break-out. Now that he's been thrust into a starting role I can invision big things for him. Any news out of Minnesota would be greatly appreciated.(MikesVikes, etc...)

[Outshined]

I lost track of this guys movement until my good friend pointed it out to me. He's an amazing, ( but a little raw), talent who's been burried behind Shockey for a couple years, and could be poised for a break-out. Now that he's been thrust into a starting role I can invision big things for him. Any news out of Minnesota would be greatly appreciated.(MikesVikes, etc...)

 

 

His name wasn't mentioned alot during training camp. The few bits written about him was that he struggled early in OTA's and early in camp but since then I haven't heard much about him. Its still too early to judge right now, but so far from what I have seen from Jackson, the majority of his throws have been to the receivers. Maybe they will use him more as the season goes along and they get into the playbook more. Not sure if he worth a roster spot at this point.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

All I know is he was paid alot of money and the so called experts have ridiculed the Vikings for doing so. One can only hope they knew what they were doing ala the Chester Taylor signing, except of course Chester did have a bit more of a successful history before receiving his money from the Vikings.

[Outshined]

Shiancoe says he will catch a lot balls - Bevell says otherwise....found this article after camp started....

 

Vikings Insider: Team expects Shiancoe to leave past far behind

The Vikings and their new tight end, a career backup with the Giants, believe he can put up solid statistics.

 

By Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune

 

Last update: August 04, 2007 – 11:22 PM

 

 

MANKATO — Visanthe Shiancoe knows there are names easier to pronounce than "vi-sahn-tee SHANK-oh." So upon introduction the other day, Shiancoe simplified things a bit.

"Just call me Shank-dog," he said with a smile.

 

If only everything else about Shiancoe's arrival in Minnesota were so straightforward.

 

Determined to add playmakers to their offense, the Vikings targeted Shiancoe — a relatively unknown backup tight end for the New York Giants — as their top offseason priority. On the second day of free agency, the Vikings guaranteed $8.2 million to a player who has never caught more than three passes in a game and hasn't scored a touchdown since Jan. 2, 2005.

 

Vikings coach Brad Childress compares Shiancoe to tailback Chester Taylor, a career backup with the Baltimore Ravens before the Vikings signed him on the first day of free agency. Taylor nearly doubled his career rushing totals in 2006, and the Vikings believe Shiancoe — who has turned in a mixed performance in training camp, apparently because of a strained quadriceps — can do the same.

 

Shiancoe caught 35 passes in four seasons with the Giants, but those receptions were clustered in 22 games. Considered another way, Shiancoe has gone without a catch in 66 percent of his appearances.

 

In the absence of past production, Childress said, "You just have to look at the skills and abilities and make sure that he has the tools you are looking for."

 

To be sure, Shiancoe has all of the measurables: a 40-yard dash time of 4.5 seconds, soft hands and a 250-pound frame that enables him to hold his own as a blocker.

 

The fairest way to assess Shiancoe's first few months with the Vikings, during spring drills and now through 10 days of training camp, is that his adjustment is a work in progress. He dropped more than his share of passes during the spring, perhaps distracted by the installation of a new offense, and did not appear as fast as advertised during the early days of training camp.

 

A strained quadriceps was the likely culprit, according to Childress, and Shiancoe flashed later in the week by outrunning speedy linebacker Dontarrious Thomas for a pass.

 

"In this offense," Shiancoe said, "a tight end should be eager to make whatever adjustment you have to make. You get the ball a lot. The tight ends are very involved in this offense. I think I can make some very, very big plays here. That's the reason I came. I can make a lot of plays."

 

Vikings tight ends caught 59 passes last season, but they averaged 8 yards per reception and none went for longer than 24 yards. Yet there are many examples of highly productive tight ends in the West Coast offense, from San Francisco's Brent Jones to Denver's Shannon Sharpe to Philadelphia's L.J. Smith, and the Vikings want Shiancoe to be next on that list.

 

Jones averaged 12.5 yards per reception in his career, including six seasons with at least 40 catches. Sharpe averaged 12.3 yards per catch, including seven seasons with Denver of at least 60 receptions, and Smith has caught 111 passes for the Eagles during the past two seasons for an 11.6-yard average.

 

"I'm going to put up some pretty solid numbers," Shiancoe said, his head nodding confidently. "That's what I will say. Very solid numbers. Very high numbers." Shiancoe's exact production remains to be seen, and the Vikings' shortage of proven receivers could allow defenses to devote more attention to him. He would represent a huge disappointment, however, if he does not beat his career high for receptions in a season — 25 as a senior at Division I-AA Morgan State.

 

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said the Vikings are not so much looking to Shiancoe for game-changing plays as they are for him to be a consistent target who can get them 11 yards on third-and-6. "We're still learning about him," Bevell said. "You would like to get big plays down the field. Not necessarily the 40- or 50-yard plays, but the ones that are getting first downs for you." To which the Vikings would say, "Shank" you very much.

[MikesVikes]

The only thing that I've heard from him is that he couldn't catch anything thrown to him at camp. It was like move over Troy Williamson, we found ourselves a new guy that can't catch now. But maybe he was improving in that area.

 

They overpaid him, imo. I don't think he's ever going to play up to his salary. But It's certainly possible that he turns it around or already has begun to do so. He's nothing but an 18th round flyer for myself. A prospect for ff'ers only.

[MikesVikes]

I just read Bevell's piece there and he must have forgot to mention that 95% of the pass plays were under 10 yards or so it seemed last year. They threw the ball short of the 1st down marker at least 4 or 5 times per game last year on third down. Sounds like he's defending the system of the team in the quote.

 

But Tarvaris has a strong arm and is getting more accurate each game. Think of Vick throwing it down field, missing his receivers by 10 yards and this is what you have in Jackson. A kid with an arm but can't hit the receiver in stride.

[Savage Beatings]

I think he's in a decent situation as the Vikings new main TE, but I can confirm that he has not looked impressive in Camp with a number of dropped balls.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Savage Beatings

[keggerz]

TJax is going to really surprises some people this year

[hooknladder]

TJax is going to really surprises some people this year

i think Shiancoe will too

[DocNiner52]

I think the Vikes are gonna find themselves playing from behind a lot this year, no offense Mike's Vikes. Somebody has got to catch the ball. Reports I've seen say Jackson has a strong arm but can he turn that strength into completions? Bobby Wade doesn't excite me. Had Williamson in a dynasty but dropped him. I like Sydney Rice but he'll probably take a few years to develop. Jackson definitely needs a few years to develop. While he's doing that he'd better realize that a TE can be a very important asset and use Shiancoe as much as he can to grip some confidence. Kleinsasser's still around but Vishante will be the starter. Unless TJax and Shiancoe develop some major chemistry I don't see anything more for him than 25-30 receptions, 200 yds and 2 td's. I like Vishante mainly because he's getting a chance to be the starter after being buried beneath Jeremy Shockey for 4 years and I'm optimistic he'll do a lot better next year. Yes he could surprise a few people this year possibly and I'm hopeful he'll put up better numbers than I had for him, but right now I wouldn' tuse him as a bye week replacement unless it was a sweet matchup.

[Randall]

TJax is going to really surprises some people this year

 

 

Interceptions or fumbles?

[MikesVikes]

When the Vikes play from behind, they don't have a chance if it is anything like last season. They were not equipped to handle that whatsoever. Like Childress didn't plan on that happening all year or something because they didn't have an answer to it.

 

That was reason number one that it was hard to watch the games last year.

[Avernus]

TJax is going to really surprises some people this year

 

he has similar abilities to McNabb and the WCO might be the right system for TJax.....

 

he could quietly lead the Vikings to above .500 this year with that tough defense and strong ground game to go with the strong OL that has some chemistry now...

 

he has protection....plus the ground game....now just get him someone who can catch...

 

Pinkston > Williamson ...yeah he's that bad...

[Kid Cid]

They say Shiancoe has soft hands, but his concentration sucks. He consistently dropped passes at the wrong times during his career. I would be shocked, if he was any where near the top 20 TE's by the end of the season.